HARRISBURG: A series of Valley News Dispatch articles about nuclear contamination in the Alle-Kiski Valley won three top state journalism awards over the weekend.
"Buried Legacy," written by former staff writers Ramesh Santanam and Mary Ann Thomas, won first place for daily enterprise reporting, beating out The Philadelphia Inquirer, and first place for environmental reporting in the annual Keystone State Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists' Spotlighting Contest.
The series also won first place for investigative reporting in Division IV of the 2003 Keystone Press Awards sponsored by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
The awards were among nine picked up over the weekend by the staff of the Valley News Dispatch.
A series of articles about the increase in heroin addictions and deaths in the Valley won third place for daily enterprise reporting in the Society of Professional Journalists contest and second place for series/special project in Division IV of the Keystone Press Awards competition.
Staff writer Chuck Biedka was the lead reporter for the series "Heroin's Hooks," also written by staff writers Liz Hayes and Jason Walker. Biedka also was instrumental in organizing a community forum on drug abuse sponsored by the newspaper and the Alle-Kiski Health Foundation. The forum drew hundreds of parents, educators, law enforcement officials and community leaders.
Staff photographer Justin Merriman won first place for "The Agony of Defeat" in the Keystone Press Awards sports photo category.
Other Keystone Press Award winners:
Second place, spot news, "Kidnapped Baby Found," by staff writer Jennifer Gross.
Second place, news photo, "Drug Raid," by staff photographer Louis B. Ruediger.
Second place, headline writing, copy editor Jennifer Johnston.
